Kesler has to listen to body rather than heart as he moves closer to return

BOSTON — Ryan Kesler makes a move on Zdeno Chara during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final on June 13. (National Hockey League photo)

His teammates didn’t skate Sunday, but Ryan Kesler did. Hard and fast for an hour.

It was another significant step following late July surgery on his left hip but the Vancouver Canucks centre was also guarded in projecting a return to the lineup — even though he’s entering the 10-12 week recovery window with the procedure. However, this is where it gets tricky. The Selke Trophy winner plays through people and not around them. He willingly blocks shots, sets picks and screens and has the war wounds to show for unselfishness that produced a career 41 goals last season. And as much as Kesler wants to return as soon as possible knowing the spotty 2-2-1 Canucks could use his two-way presence, caution is the calling card.

“Obviously, I’m a competitive guy and I don’t like to see the team lose,” said Kesler. “You think about coming back sooner, but it wouldn’t be smart for me. I have to keep reminding myself to be patient and let my hip and body tell me when I’m ready and not my mind and my heart.

“It’s smart for me to take my time now and let everything heal. I’m not a guy who plays on the perimeter, I want to get in there and battle. I’m getting closer but obviously I still feel it [hip] at times out there — just certain movements I don’t feel comfortable doing yet. I’m not going to come back until I feel comfortable or I’m 100 per cent.”

Kesler has been skating with teammates since Oct.5 and joined them on the four-game road trip that concluded with a 4-3 win in Edmonton on Saturday. A strong stride would suggest that Kesler is close to a return, but replicating timing and battle drills in practice is one thing. Doing that in a game is completely different.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that Kesler would prefer to get a couple of home games under his belt — Oct. 26 against St. Louis and Oct. 28 against Washington — before a six-game road trip. Then again, with Kesler you never know. He will practise Monday and didn’t sound like somebody who would push his recovery to face the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

“If there’s a miracle I might,” said Kesler. “I’d like to play in front of the home fans before that [November] road trip, but who’s to say if I will. It’s day by day right now. Some days I feel good, other days I don’t feel that good. Lately, I’ve been stringing some practices together. It’s a good test to get some reps in with a couple guys I’ll be playing with in the future.”

The future can’t come soon enough.

One player doesn’t make a team, but the early sample size this season shows the Canucks waning in areas they usually dominate with Kesler’s contributions. They led the league in goals for, goals against and power play last season and were third in penalty killing. After five games, they’re 11th in goals, 25th in goals against, eighth on the power play and 25th in penalty killing. More importantly, they don’t have much cohesion after the top line. Cody Hodgson isn’t Kesler but has admirably centred a revolving second line. Marco Sturm, who had two knee surgeries the past three years, has been a bust with no points, two shots and a minus-4 rating after five games. Mikael Samuelsson, who had adductor and sports hernia surgery in May, has been marginally better with three points, but Chris Higgins has been the best second-line left winger with four points.

When Kesler does return Canucks coach Alain Vigneault will have options and he could move the playmaking Hodgson to wing on the second line. Vigneault also knows that in Kesler he’ll have a dominant centre who leads by example, keeps a dressing room loose and hates to lose. The Canucks need the guy who figured in 11 of 14 second-round playoff goals against Nashville and the driven demon who scored the tying goal despite being injured in the deciding game of the Western Conference. All that can’t come soon enough.

“It’s tough, especially at the stage I’m at now,” added Kesler. “I need to get my wind back. I’m a perfectionist out there and I’ve got to be patient with my game the first little bit and not get frustrated. I’ve got to stay the course and I know it’s going to come around. I expect big things when I come back.”

Kesler missed 10 weeks with hip surgery in 2007 and if anything, he’s learned that bravado has its place as long as he’s totally healthy. Kesler can’t play at 90 per cent. He’s not wired that way. It’s why he didn’t go into coast mode last fall in the first year of a six-year $30 million US contract extension. It’s why the 27-year-old Livonia, Mich. native annually tops polls as one of the league’s most-hated players because he also has the gift of gab and will throw the occasional jab. He’s the kind of guy who want on your team but hate to play against. And he knows he’ll be in the crosshairs when he does return.

“I know I’m going to have to go through a preseason mode and I’m going to be behind the eight-ball a bit when I play my first game,” said Kesler. “I’ve got to battle through that and I know it’s going to be tough.”

Not as tough as not playing. That’s why he hopes to play before the end of this month.

“That’s the goal of mine but we’ll see,” he summed up. “It’s small victories right now here and there.”

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.